Where the Water Flows
by MythologyGirl
Summary: Nerida Araluen had big dreams. It was too bad those dreams never included getting the most useless Pokemon as a starter.


**Warning:** This fic is _not_ a high priority. It is mainly something I will be working on in-between my other stories when I need a break. It will pretty much just be a bunch of words jumbled together and a completely ridiculous Pokemon journey of an OC character whom can't seem to do anything right. Also, I apologize if any facts are wrong. This is currently unedited.

* * *

Nerida had never been camping, but if she had she was certain it would be just like starting a Pokemon journey. Except, you know, with getting your first pokemon instead of having to suffer hours of your parents trying to drag you into ridiculous car games. This was probably the reason why she had been looking forward to this day with a sense of trepidation and excitement.

Today was finally her tenth birthday, the day she would receive her very first partner. The very partner that would help lead her towards her dream of becoming a world famous Pokemon Performer that specialized in water types. She had promised her childhood friends Flint and Volkner before she moved from Sunnyshore City in Sinnoh to the her current home in Kalos due to her father's work in water Pokemon research (Well, she had more yelled it at them as she was dragged through the boarding gates by her mother.) and it was a promise she intended to keep. Nerida, after all, didn't think she would be able to look her friends in the eye if she didn't.

The young girl had gotten up just as the sun first beams kissed her window, making small little rainbows as it reflected of the perspiration left behind from the chilly night. It always to a while to style her long, light blue hair just right and she didn't want to start such an important chapter in her life without her signature style. A single braid that started off at her left temple and interwove into the side ponytail that hung lowly over her right shoulder. She slipped into her clothing quickly, having set out her favorite outfit, a white t-shirt with a congregation of bubbles starting at the bottom that thinned out the closer they got to the collar and a pair of dark blue denim short. Once she had been sure she was ready, checking herself in her little bathrooms mirror and striking a few victory poses she had been practicing for years, she rushed downstairs to meet her father.

"I see someone's up early," her father stated cheerfully as she almost barreled him over at the bottom of the stairs. "I was just about to go wake you so we could get this show on the road."

It was a tradition in her family that instead of getting a starter Pokemon from professors' whomever was going to be starting their journey would go on a fishing trip with one of the parents to catch their first Pokemon. And, that also meant whichever Pokemon she reeled in first would be the one she had to, with the help of her father who would be the one to take her, capture. No questions asked. It was a rite of passage for a family that had specialized in water types like the Araluen's had for generations.

"Papa!" Nerida called excitedly as she hugged the tall man around his waist, nearly vibrating with happiness. "Papa, are you ready?"

Her father laughed, his voice was slightly wheezy from the iron grip his daughter had on him. "Yes, yes."

At the positive answer Nerida released her father, ignoring the large intake of breath he took, and raced towards the front door without a moment of hesitation. She waited 10 years for this day and she'd be ice-beamed if she waited a single second more.

"Water Lily."

She spun around at her father's call, a nickname he'd been calling her since she was born. The confused look on her face practically screaming "what?" as she impatiently waited for her papa to continue.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Nerida tilted her head. Did she forgot something? She had her pokeball, her shoes were by the door with her fishing rod leaning up against the wall next to them. What could she have possibly forgotten. Ah! Her eyes lit up as she raced back up the stairs to her room to grab a sailor hat rimmed with blue hanging precariously off her bed frame. She placed it on her head before nearly tripping back down the stairs in her haste.

Her father stared at her incredulously when she stumbled off the last step. "I meant breakfast."

* * *

After taking more than enough time, in Nerida's opinion, to eat a celebratory breakfast of her favorite morning time foods, boysenberry crepes and bacon, and listen to her mother gush about how fast she grew up, they were finally on their bikes and pedaling towards the beach. Cyllage City, while large, was small enough to travel without having to worry about taking public transportation in order to make it home by nightfall. (Nerida still thought it strange a Water Specialist like her father would decide to continue his research in a city that had a rock specialist as a gym leader.) After all, it was only about a 15 minute ride from where her house sat, situated close to the cliffs, to the salty waters of a seemingly never-ending ocean.

Once the reached the beach, the young girl immediately kicked off her black flip flops, hopping along the warmed sand in a weak attempt to keep the bottoms of her feet from burning. Her custom made fishing rod resting on her shoulder with the lure dangling. In her right hand was a large, heavy plastic cooler that contained all the bait they would need for the day's excursion. She could hear her father in the distance yelling something about slowing down and not to throw her bike, but she did what any good kid would do and ignored him.

Nerida briefly combed the the area for a good spot, settling on a small rocky area. She plunked the cooler down before sitting cross legged on a smooth rock, slightly wet from the ocean spray. Ignoring the way the dampness soaked into her shorts, she began to busy herself with attaching the bait to her pole.

It wasn't long before her father joined her and, though he was clearly exasperated by her restlessness, started to get his own fishing pole ready. While it was a rule that no matter what he caught Nerida couldn't take as a partner, she understood the need to have something to do.

It wasn't long before they both cast their lines, the only thing left to do was wait.

Nerida wasn't very good at waiting.

* * *

It was official. She hated her father.

They had both been out here for hours and only her father had gotten any baits. Seven to be more precise from a Clauncher to a freakin' Sharpedo, which nearly dragged them both into the cold waters as it tried to escape. The bluenette could almost feel her skin starting to peel from the sunburn she was sure she was developing since her skin was turning a nice shade of Krabby red, the only thing she so far had to she show for such a prolonged period of fishing. Prolonged in her sense, she was a high energy girl after all.

It wasn't until she was going to chuck her stupid pole into the stupid water out of pure frustration when she felt a tiny tug as the thin fishing line started to straighten out do the force on the other end. Nerida screamed in joy as she bounced up, almost slipping off the rock she had situated herself on. "Papa, get ready for a battle!"

The tall man came up beside her, a Pokeball in his hand and ready to throw to release one of his team to weaken whatever Pokemon his daughter had caught. Both of them tensed as the creature broke the surface, water droplets flying in every direction as the Pokemon soared over both their heads, landing with a thud behind them. The young girl turned around as if the world had suddenly switched into slow motion.

There flopping around uselessly in what she was sure was meant to be a Splash attack was a pure gold Magikarp.

Her first Pokemon was a Magikarp.

A bleedin' Magikarp.

What the hell.

"At least it's a shiny." Her father pipped up next her consolingly, a slight tinge of mirth in his tone.

Nerida threw her fishing rod at him.


End file.
